We know that 2016 was the year of “omni-channel”—but we don’t believe omni-channel goes far enough. To us, omni-channel requires only the ability to accept payments in all channels. It’s a good and necessary step for any business, but it’s not enough in today’s retail environment. Modern consumers demand unified commerce: support for the entire customer journey across all channels, from brick‐and‐mortar to e‐commerce to in‐aisle and beyond.

Every issue of Innovative Retail Technologies features case studies on retailers’ technology and operations success. This particular issue is jam-packed with them. There are 30 stories on proven retail innovation on these pages, in fact. In addition to our regularly scheduled case study programming on the cross-channel, in-store, and loss prevention initiatives at Clarks and Petland, we’ve published briefs on the 2016 Retailer Innovation Awards winners and finalists on pages 7 to 16.

The ball has dropped, the confetti has fallen, and the New Year has officially been ushered in. With 2017 on the horizon, it’s time to look to the future. What does the future hold for retail? Let’s take a look at what a few of our colleagues have to say.

Retailer Innovation Award recipients aren’t just doing something new, they’re reaping the business reward for the execution of their innovation.

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In 2017, many of the top companies are placing greater emphasis on customer experience. They have realized customer experience leads to better brand differentiation.

Why should you attend NGCX? Get inspired by great customer experience leaders in the industry today – use their discussions to challenge assumptions and spark insights. Register using code NGCX17IRT and receive 25 percent off!